WEBVTT HEY'RE USING DRONESTO HELP SAVE LIVES.NEW AT 5:00, KETV NEWSWATCH 7'SNICK AMATANGELO REPORTS FROMLAKE MANAWA.>> IT'S NOT EASY TO STEP INTO ANEW ROLE, BUT TODAY SIXFIREFIGHTERS TOOK STEPS TOBECOMING ICE RESCUE TRAININGTEACHERS.>> IT'S A DIFFERENT POSITIONBECAUSE NOW YOU'RE THEINSTRUCTOR.YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE INCHARGE OF THAT GROUP, SO YOUNEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONECOMPLETELY UNDERSTANDS WHAT'SGOING ON, AND THE SAFETY AND HOWTO TALK TO YOUR VICTIM.>> THEY PRACTICE TO RESCUESOMEONE THE SAME WAY THEY WOULDIF IT WERE AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY.>> KIND OF ESCALATE FROM TCRAWL-WALK, RUN MENTALITY, WHEREIT'S BASIC ICE LIKE WE HAVE HERETODAY WITH CONSIDERABLETHICKNESS, TO MAYBE THE OTHERSIDE OF LAKE MANAWA WHERE IT'SSOME OPEN WATER ONTO SOMETHINNER ICE.THIS TRAINING ALSO GIVES THEDEPARTMENT THE OPPORTUNITY TOTEST NEW EQUIPMENT, LIKE THEIRDRONE.>> THE DRONE HAS THE ABILITY TOHOLD SEVEN POUNDS, SO WE CAN FLYA LIFE VEST OVER AND DROP IT TOTHE VICTIM.ALSO IT HAS A THERMAL CAMERA, SOWE'RE ABLE TO PICK UP THAT HEATIMAGE IF WE NEED TO.>> THEY'LL BE TRAINING ALL DAYTHURSDAY, FRIDAY AND MONDAY.REPORTING FROM LAKE MANAWA, NICK

It's said that practice makes perfect. Council Bluffs Fire Department members are training so that when the worst happens, they know what do to. The rest of this week, they'll be participating in ice rescue training.

Wednesday saw six firefighters take steps to become ice rescue training instructors so that they can go back and train others in the department.

"It's a different position because now you're the instructor," said Jason Himmelsehr, a member of the Council Bluffs Fire Department training to be an instructor. "You need to make sure you're in charge of that group, so you need to make sure that everyone completely understands what's going on, the safety and how to talk to your victim."

They practice to rescue someone the same way they would if it were an actual emergency.

"Kind of escalate from the crawl-walker mentality, where it's basic ice like we have here today with considerable thickness, to maybe the other side of Lake Manawa, where it's some open water onto some thinner ice," said Dive Rescue instructor Brad Thavenet.

This week's training also gives the department an opportunity to test new equipment, such as its drone.

"The drone has the ability to hold 7pounds, so we can fly a life vest over and drop it to the victim," said Himmelsehr.

"Also it has a thermal camera, so we're able to pick up that heat image if we need to."

With the teacher training complete, the entire department will be out training on Thursday, Friday and Monday.

It's said that practice makes perfect. Council Bluffs Fire Department members are training so that when the worst happens, they know what do to. The rest of this week, they'll be participating in ice rescue training.

Wednesday saw six firefighters take steps to become ice rescue training instructors so that they can go back and train others in the department.